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PEAZIT Aha card

Borrow and lend: one event, two viewpoints

Lend describes giving something temporarily; borrow describes receiving it temporarily.

A book temporarily passes from Anna to Ben.

Viewpoint	Sentence
Anna gives	Anna lends Ben a book.
Ben receives	Ben borrows a book from Anna.

One worked example

Can you lend me your pen?The subject you temporarily gives the pen.
Can I borrow your pen?The subject I temporarily receives the pen.

Watch out: The direction does not determine every tense or preposition. Reversing the handover reverses the roles.

Goal, prerequisites and card origin

What you will learn: Choose the verb from the giver’s or receiver’s viewpoint.

What you need first: English subjects and the present simple.

An original PEAZIT working card. Independent expert review and effectiveness testing have not yet taken place. · v1

Cambridge Dictionary: Lend (content source supplied in methodology) ↗

Show connections

Borrow and lend: one event, two viewpoints

Eva: book owner — subject is the person giving a loan — Eva lends Tom a book.

Tom: temporary recipient — subject is the person receiving a loan — Tom borrows a book from Eva.

Eva lends Tom a book. — describe the same transfer from opposite viewpoints — Tom borrows a book from Eva.

Tom borrows a book from Eva. — a loan implies later return — Tom returns the book to Eva

Tom returns the book to Eva — the item returns to its owner — Eva: book owner

Lend describes giving something temporarily; borrow describes receiving it temporarily.

Without JavaScript, write your answer elsewhere before opening the solution.The library lends a book to Eva. Fill in one word: Eva ___ a book from the library.

Solution — open after your own attempt

borrows Eva temporarily receives the book, so borrows. The -s marks the third-person singular.

A question for your next return: Ben now gives Anna temporary use of a bike. Complete: Ben ___ Anna a bike.

Solution — open after your own attempt

lends Ben temporarily gives the bike, so lends.

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